Patients who had a > 100 g/week alcohol intake determined by a detailed personal history, questioning of family members, and an investigation http://www.selleckchem.com/products/wortmannin.html of previous medical records, were excluded. Also it was excluded treatment with immunosuppressive drugs or drugs causing steatosis (corticosteroids, antiepileptic agents, tamoxifen and amiodarone). The diagnosis of diabetes type II, hypertension, and dyslipidemia were based on the criteria of the American Diabetes Association (Alexandria, VA, USA); fasting glucose �� 100 mg/dL; triglyceride (Tg) �� 150 mg/dL; high density lipoprotein (HDL) < 40 mg/dL in men or < 50 mg/dL in women; and �� 130 mmHg systolic or �� 85 mmHg diastolic) [18]. The folic acid and B12 vitamin reference were 3.1-17.5 ng/mL and 197-866 pg/mL respectively.

Normative reference Hcy levels were considered to be 12 or less (��mol/L) in males and 10 or less in females [10]. The homocysteine cut-off level in this study was 9 ��mol/L determined by ROC curve. Study Design and Laboratory assays The MTHFR polymorphism was analyzed in all 174 patients, however only in 138 of these patients the serum samples were collected at the time of liver biopsy. Thus, we used 138 serum samples to determine total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglycerides (Tg), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transferase (��GT), alkaline phosphatase (AP), fasting glucose, fasting insulin, and insulin resistance (homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance [HOMA-IR]: fasting insulin (U/mL) fasting glucose (mmol/L)/22.

5) [19]. For insulin resistance the cut-off value was considered to be �� 2.5. Blood samples were centrifuged within 60 min to separate plasma, serum and leukocyte cells and storaged at-80 ��C. The homocysteine levels were determined by chemiluminescence method [20]; Fasting Glucose, total cholesterol and fractions, triglycerides, ALT, AST, AP, ��GT and fasting insulin were performed by standard methods using automated techniques (Cobas, Roche). The LDL cholesterol was determined by Friedwald equation [21]. The C677T polymorphism was determined by a polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assay. The C��T transition creates a restriction site for the enzyme Hinf I and the digested product was isolated electrophoretically in 2% agarose gel and the fragments were visualized in ultraviolet light (UV) after being stained with ethidium bromide.

Wild type (CC) shows a single fragment of 198 bp; heterozygote (CT) shows fragments of 198, 175 and 23 bp; and mutant homozygote (TT) shows two fragments with 175 and 23 bp [22]. Histological analysis Batimastat The liver tissue was fixed in 4% formaldehyde and processed for hematoxylin-eosin and Masson trichrome stains for histological analysis.